New Balance Minimus Zero Trail Review and Giveaway

Before today's contest, a reminder that you've got less than one day left to submit photo entries for my Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS giveaway contest. Tick tock!

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In my Minimus Zero Road shoe review, I described how New Balance went back to the drawing board and completely revamped their Minimus lineup after collecting user and laboratory feedback about the first generation released last year. It’s especially telling that they did this with the Minimus Trail model, which proved to be one of the most popular shoes of 2011, and played a monumental role in introducing minimalism to the masses.

Or, to use another analogy: if you consider last season’s version an opening bid toward minimalism, think of this year’s Minimus Zero Trail as New Balance going all-in. It features several changes that purists will appreciate, and strips away every ounce of unnecessary construction to create an extremely lightweight, highly flexible trail runner that still provides decent protection for rugged or technical off-road conditions. Most – but maybe not all of - the upgrades from last year’s model are improvements, and with the finished product, New Balance pretty much sets a new standard for lightweight, high-performance minimalist trail shoes.

And if that isn’t enough to get you excited … you guessed it, we’re doing a giveaway! One male and one female winner will receive a pair of New Balance Minimus Zero Trail shoes to enjoy for his and herself – but in the meantime, let’s run through the standard review:

New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

Here’s what will probably happen when you take the Minimus Zero Trail out of the box: the first thought that comes to mind will be, Holy cow are these things light. And when you put them on your feet, you’ll have nearly the same reaction. Above all the other improvements, that will almost certainly be the hallmark of the Minimus Zero Trail: the shoe is almost incredibly light.

At a mere 4.4 oz, it feels like there’s almost nothing on my feet – and coming from an experienced barefoot and minimalist runner, that’s saying something. The Minimus Zero Trails weigh less than any of Vibram’s FiveFingers (including the bare-bones SeeYa), Soft Star’s RunAmoc, and virtually any other standard bearer for light and minimal footwear.

As the revamped name of these models implies, New Balance corrected the primary drawback of last year’s edition and created a completely flat platform from heel to toe. Stack height is approximately 10mm, which places it about halfway in between Vibram’s Spyridon LS and Merrell’s Trail Gloves.

From the medial view you can also see the synthetic suede overlays that help keep the foot stabilized on the insole. Because the upper material is so thin, these overlays are crucial to prevent movement inside the shoe …

… as is the lined insole, which combines with a traditional tongue and lace system to keep the foot securely in place. Unlike my complaint about the Minimus Zero Road, I haven’t experienced any problems with forefoot movement in the Zero Trail, even on steep hills or highly technical terrain.

I was initially disappointed that New Balance replaced the upper material on last year’s Minimus Trail, which had a true slipper-like feel and was one of the most comfortable shoes I tested all year. The updated upper is remarkably thin, paper-like and translucent, constructed from a durable nylon that resists scratches and abrasions quite well. It seems a bit more permeable to dust and fine grit than the previous model, and feels coarser and less supple against my skin. Perhaps that’s why …

Look at the left 4th toe ... or don't.

… the upper material gave me a nice little blister on the top of one toe after my first 8-miler. After a breaking-in period this issue resolved, and the rest of the Zero Trail’s interior is very comfortable for sockless use – however, I do stick with my custom of wearing socks for multi-hour runs in these.

Peek A Boo toes!

One more note about the upper: have I mentioned that they’re thin? Consequently, the Minimus Zero Trail may be more of a warm-weather shoe than an all-season trainer, because your toes will indeed get cold in them, comparable to the poor thermoregulation of most FiveFingers.

For this year’s Minimus Zero Trail, New Balance uses a new Vibram T-Lite outsole rubber (the green stuff) on top of a layer of proprietary ACTEVA midsole foam (the black stuff) that is lighter and more compression-resistant than most other midsole materials commonly used – at least, it’s supposedly more compression-resistant, as you’ll see. One cool indicator of the midsole flexibility is that when I take the shoe off my foot, it often bends in half from heel to toe just like my FiveFingers do.

I’ve been fortunate to have my test pair for several months now, meaning I’ve racked up well over 200 miles on my Minimus Zero Trails. To my eye, it seems that the ACTEVA material has deformed slightly underneath the higher density green pods at impact areas. Of course, minimalist runners don’t expect much in the way of structure anyway, but the wear pattern thus far suggests that overall durability may be slightly diminished compared to its predecessor.

Placement of the outsole rubber was designed after reviewing wear patterns of from the previous model. The new outsole is even more deeply lugged than the prior version, which was already very aggressive and grippy in practically all conditions, and I’ve really had no problems with traction anywhere, especially on wet rocks or mud. However, spacing of the lugs is so wide that there is room for smaller pointy rocks to jut between them – think of gravel fire roads - so if you’re not accustomed to minimalist running yet, your feet could feel a bit of bruising on highly rocky or technical terrain.

That speaks to a larger point that distinguishes the Minimus Zero Trail from its predecessor: it’s a no-apologies minimalist shoe for runners who are sure of their technique. If you’re not an experienced minimalist runner, start in small doses with this shoe just as you would with a pair of Vibrams. And if you’re still transitioning or still want some substance or structure from your shoes, the Minimus Zero Trail is probably more then you’re ready for.

So … are YOU ready for it? If so, let’s get our contest on. Same procedure for this one as for the road version: one male and one female winner will be chosen at random from the comments below. One entry for a plain ol’ comment, one extra for a Facebook or Twitter link, and a third for a blog link. Include links or URLs so I can verify, and let me know if you’re male or female if it’s not obvious from your username. Winners will be announced Saturday night, April 21.

If you’d rather not take your chance or wait that long, the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail retails for $109 from TravelCountry.com. Special thanks to New Balance for sponsoring this review and contest, and good luck to everyone!

*Product provided by New Balance. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Patagonia Strider Shorts Review; Patagonia Nine Trails Shorts Review

Quick reminder before today's post: remember to send in your photo entries for my Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon giveaway - finalists will be announced Thursday night.

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Now that springtime is here, it’s almost time to put the long pants in the back of the drawer and assess your inventory of running shorts. If you’re an ultrarunner, it’s also time to start thinking about what specific clothing items you’ll wear on the start line of your upcoming events.

This year I’ve had the opportunity to test two new shorts from Patagonia – one of which isn’t technically new, as I’ll explain shortly – and they’re both quite impressive, but distinctive enough to meet a variety of preferences. Brief reviews of each follow, with purchase information at the end of the post.

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Patagonia Strider shorts

A couple of months ago Patagonia introduced their Strider short, a lightweight option (total weight is 116g / 4.1 oz) that is great for warm days. Fabric construction primarily consists of a thin, breezy polyester mesh that feels super comfortable against the skin, with vertical mesh insets on the sides that provide even more ventilation. The cut is sufficient to allow complete range of motion, and the fabric has a slight stretch component just in case you need a few extra degrees of movement. I tested the 7” inseam version, but if you want to go even lighter there are 5” and 3” versions available. (Trust me – you don’t want to see photos of me in a 3-inch short.) They come in five color options if you want to buy several pairs and rotate your look throughout the week as well.

7" inseams on a 9" tan line ... or as I like to call it, geek sexy.

Both the liner and exterior fabric are highly effective at moisture transfer, and dry very quickly if you happen to get caught in a brief downpour (it is spring, after all). There is a DWR coating on these shorts, but they don’t resist moisture for very long in the aforementioned spring shower. One quirk I found was with the internal drawcord, which is continuous around the waist. I always find these difficult to manage, so I end up cutting them in front – but then you’re left with ends of the cord that are very short and prone to slipping back into the waistband.

Strider waistband; original (uncut) drawstring at bottom

From a performance standpoint, the Striders are pretty much problem-free, with no chafing, excess moisture, or other discomfort during outings in excess of 20 miles. When the weather gets toasty and you’ve got a long trail day ahead, they are great shorts to reach for.

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Patagonia Nine Trails shorts, in gray

The other short I tested is an old reliable favorite that was part of my go-to race gear throughout 2011: Patagonia’s Nine Trails shorts, which tend to sell out online when they’re released each year. The 2012 version is now available in four colors at Patagonia stores and the company website, and I haven’t seen any reason to take it out of my A-lineup heading into this year’s ultras.

Nine Trails in black, on an early-morning 30-miler

Some of the things I like about the Nine Trails may not be for everybody; at 184g (6.5 oz), it’s slightly heavier than other shorts I own, with a longer-than-usual 8” inseam. However, this is an ideal combination for me during ultras: the longer inseam gives me better sun protection during the day, and the thicker material provides better insulation during the night. Fabric construction features a highly breathable stretch-woven polyester - made from recycled plastics, so it’s green! - with a 4-way stretch component from a small dose of spandex. These shorts also have a DWR finish and wick moisture very efficiently from the soft microfiber liner as well as the main panels.

Air-flow polyester mesh crotch, dual reinforced seam construction

What I appreciate most about the Nine Trails is that they are comfortable enough to wear for 30 consecutive hours without chafing or irritation, and durable enough to stand up to hundreds of miles of training and racing. In my experience, the first point of weakness in a pair of shorts is the crotch area, usually due to the seams unraveling, but occasionally due to pilling or thinning of the fabric from excess heat or friction. Patagonia combats this by using a fast-drying Air Flow polyester mesh for maximal ventilation, and reinforced seam assembly for enhanced durability. After more than 18 months of high-mileage running, my Nine Trails shorts show no signs of breakdown, and there’s no reason to suspect the 2012 version is any less dependable.

With these two shorts, Patagonia covers pretty much all the necessities for long trail outings - whether it's light, short and breezy for extremely hot days, or rugged and sturdy for your more ambitious adventures. The Strider shorts retail for $45, and the Nine Trails shorts retail for $60, both from the Patagonia website. If you’re one of my Northern California readers, you can find both models at the Patagonia Palo Alto store at 525 Alma Street, or the Patagonia San Francisco store at 770 North Point.


*Products provided by Patagonia. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
** If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Vibram Flagship Store Grand Opening; Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Giveaway!

Because the company is based in Massachusetts, Vibram USA has enjoyed using Boston Marathon weekend to launch promotional campaigns over the past few years. The innovative footwear made their road race debut at the marathon several years ago, and the road-running specific Bikila model was introduced there two years ago. Vibram also has a strong presence at the race expo, and has been heavily involved in panel discussions on topics ranging from barefoot running to minimalist footwear to the most efficient styles of running.

This year the promotion takes on an entirely different dimension for the company who, as one of their recent ads shows, has profoundly changed the footwear industry twice over. This weekend, Vibram USA is opening a flagship retail store in Boston, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 14th at noon local time.

According to the press release, the Vibram store is designed as a “brand experience” and a destination where visitors can explore and learn more about Vibram and the benefits of minimalist footwear and training. It will feature “experiential zones” for testing FiveFingers on surfaces such as inlaid marbles, woodchips, grass, a bumpy subway yellow line, and so on. In addition to showcasing all of Vibram’s current styles, the store will also offer select models that are typically sold only in Europe.

If you’re in the Boston area, stop by the store at 292 Newbury Street this Saturday and sign up to win a grand prize of five seasons’ worth of Vibram FiveFingers. But if you’re like me and can’t make it to Boston, I’ll give you an opportunity to win a free pair of your own.

I was honored to be invited to a pre-opening party at the flagship store, but since Boston is slightly out of the way for me in California, Vibram offered to let me be a part of the festivities by awarding a free pair of Vibrams to one of my readers. I chose the Spyridon LS – if you read my Spyridon LS review, you know why – and I’ll announce the winner next Saturday to coincide with the grand opening in Boston.

I also get to choose my own rules for this contest, so I’m going to be a bit creative here: to win, I want photographic proof of how you use your Vibrams, or how you venture into the world barefoot. And since the winner will be announced on a weekend, I’d love something I can use as a random shot of beauty as well.

So here’s how to enter: send me a photo of yourself in a cool outdoor setting, either in a pair of Vibrams, like this one from a Sentinel Dome hike in my KSO Treks:

Or just enjoying the great outdoors barefoot, like this one from a run to the top of Half Dome:

Send your photos to info@runningandrambling.com with the subject line “Vibram contest entry”. My plan is to narrow the entrants down to three or five and post them here, then let readers choose the winner for me. However, this condenses my contest time frame quite a bit, so if you want to enter, please send me a photo ASAP, and I’ll aim to have the finalists posted here by Thursday night.

Obviously, by entering you’re giving me permission to post your name and photo on my website (I’ll also link to your blog if you have one). The winner can be male or female, and will receive a pair of FiveFingers Spyridon LS in whatever size is needed. Good luck to everybody, and special thanks to Vibram for sponsoring this contest!



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New Balance Minimus Zero Road Winners; Random Shots of Beauty

Keeping things short and sweet today so I can jump right into another post slated for tomorrow night; trust me, you'll want to check back for it. Until then, let's knock out our scheduled items of business ...

Winners of the New Balance Minimus Zero Road contest are Sticks for the women's pair, and Stan (9run) for the men's pair.  E-mail me your contact info to claim your prizes.  Thanks very much to everyone who participated in the contest, and stay tuned for the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail review and giveaway post coming soon. And remember that you can find the Minimus Zero Road at TravelCountry.com, an affiliate partner where your purchases support Running and Rambling.

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Our Random Shot of Beauty is an easy one, and continues the theme I re-introduced last weekend regarding springtime in Monterey County. Luckily, I had my regular camera with me this week ...

... so if you click to enlarge, you can see my son on his mountain bike down there (he's the blue dot), riding through a herd of sheep in Fort Ord. It's the kind of encounter that's happened so many times that neither one of them - my son, or probably the sheep as well - considers it even slightly out of the ordinary.



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SKORA BASE and SKORA FORM Review

Quick announcement before today's post: you've got one more day to enter the New Balance Minimus Zero Road giveaway contest; winners will be announced Saturday.  Get going!

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It not much of an exaggeration to say that one of the most long-awaited minimalist shoes to be released comes from SKORA.

Company founder and CEO David Sypniewski was an early inhabitant of barefoot running forums in the post-Born to Run craze, and by that time he had already been a proponent of natural running – what he refers to as “running real” - for several years. He started spreading word that he was developing a revolutionary minimalist running shoe that would be on the market in the near future.

SKORA FORM

As sometimes happens, the near future turned into the following year, and then another year … and ultimately to Spring of 2012. But SKORA shoes are finally available for purchase – at least, they are for men with a shoe size from 8 to 12. A wider range of men’s sizes as well as women’s styles will be forthcoming later this year, but in the meantime, SKORA offers two models that are both designed to promote Running Real – which, not coincidentally, happens to be the new company’s slogan.

SKORA BASE

One of those models, the FORM – apparently SKORA has chosen the somewhat-irritating convention of writing their company name and shoe models in all caps – comes with a pretty hefty $195 price tag as well, mainly due to material construction of the uppers; more on that in a minute. The BASE is a more affordable $125 option with a different upper – but from a construction standpoint, SKORA shoes have far more similarities than differences, so my review will consider them collectively before getting to the distinctions between models.

As detailed on the SKORA website, the company approaches shoe design and construction with the belief that the best shoe is one that allows the foot, and by extension the entire body, to perform naturally. Many of their design precepts are familiar to minimalist footwear users: anatomic last, zero-drop platform, wide toe box, no heel counter, minimal cushioning, and seamless interior construction for sockless use. They also include a few unique tweaks to optimize mechanics, fit, or comfort – some of these are helpful, others maybe not so much.

The underside of the BASE and FORM are essentially the same, and feature a combination of EVA (the white stuff in the photos) and high-abrasion rubber (the black or blue stuff). One novel element here is that the offset color in the forefoot area is actually slightly concave for enhanced ground feel on foot strike.

Outsole traction is great for roads, even in wet conditions. Of course, I test everything on trails whether they were designed for it or not, and both SKORA models actually do quite well going from road to trail. Rubber in the heel area is convex, which isn’t super effective when running down dirt hills …

… but the forefoot area has enough grip to handle gravel or going uphill on fire roads. Unless you’re tackling extremely technical trails, the SKORA outsole is very nice for hybrid road/trail use.

One of the design tweaks I mentioned earlier is a curvature of the heel, which is intended to encourage a medial to lateral roll of the foot in stance phase. Unfortunately, since I tend to contact the ground pretty far on the medial side of my heels to begin with, this construction created a somewhat unstable feeling underfoot in my testing.

Both SKORA models have the same midsole platform, with a stack height of 13mm off the ground …

… unless you take out the 4mm removable insole, in which case your standing height is a pretty low-riding 9mm. However, I ended up leaving the insole in when testing both models – which leads us to a discussion of the uppers.

The BASE model weighs 7.9 oz, and uses a high tensile stretch mesh material with thin polyurethane overlays for increased durability. The mesh ventilates quite well, and the interior surface gently hugs the foot and feels comfortable against bare skin.

Instead of traditional laces, the BASE uses a nylon X-strap for securing the upper, which I found to be rather problematic. The Velcro attachment square is fairly small, which doesn’t give you a lot of room for tightening.

This is also the reason why I needed the insole: when I removed it, I couldn’t tighten the upper enough to keep my foot from coming out of it, even when the elastic heel strap was tightened.

It’s worth noting that the SKORA website states that the BASE “fits roomy”, and to consider a half-size smaller. The pair I tested was a pre-release version, so I wasn’t aware of that sizing caveat beforehand. You should definitely size down on these, though – especially if you want to remove the insole for lower height and improved ground feel.

According to the website, the FORM reportedly runs true to size, but I found this version to be a little bit roomy as well, so my suspicion is that the SKORA last is just a shade large compared to conventional shoe sizes. Unlike the BASE, the FORM has a lacing system that makes it easier to cinch the upper in place around the foot, but I still found the fit much better with the insole in place. If I were buying a pair of FORMs to start over, I’d still size down one-half size and remove the insole for everyday use.

The FORM weighs 8.2 ounces, and is distinctive mainly for its deluxe upper made of Pittards armor-tan goat skin leather. This is the primary justification for the high price tag on this model, and it’s reminiscent of ECCO’s yak leather upper on their BIOM model a few years back. Having tested both of those shoes, I tend to be a believer in the value of high-quality leather uppers; they’re super soft and comfortable, extraordinarily durable compared to standard mesh, and breathe much better than you’d guess.

In the case of the FORM, interior comfort is further enhanced with a Pittards WR100X sheepskin lining, which is very soft against bare skin, and provides a combination of breathability and water resistance.

Another design tweak for comfort is the burrito-wrap tongue system, which eliminates an entire seam on top of the midfoot. As I mentioned in my New Balance Minimus Zero Road review, this design sometimes compromises forefoot stability, and I did find myself having to cinch down the asymmetric laces fairly tight, especially when running on steep hills. This led to one more quirky issue …

Namely, the laces are WAY too long. When I tied them tightly, even with double knots, the loops of my laces were flopping all over the place and dragging on the ground quite often. This wasn’t really a deal breaker for me, as the solution was fairly simple:

Original shoelace on top, chopped shoelace on bottom

I cut about 6 inches of length out of them, and the laces fit just fine. Like I said, this wasn’t a major issue – but I suspect I would have been a little more irritated if I had spent 200 bucks on my pair. For that kind of money, you shouldn’t have to perform surgery on your shoes to make them fit well.

[*UPDATED: Apparently the production laces are much shorter than the pre-production pair I tested, so this whole lace issue should be moot.]

If I were buying SKORA shoes for myself, I’d definitely choose the FORM over the BASE, because from the standpoints of fit, durability and comfort, the difference is quite significant. Of course, the upgrades come at a price, which brings us to the big question: are SKORA shoes worth 200 dollars?

From a performance standpoint, it would be hard to recommend the FORM over other high quality zero-drop shoes currently on the market; while it’s a great all-purpose running shoe, it’s probably not 85 dollars better then Merrell’s Road Glove or Altra’s Instinct. However, there is a certain luxury feel to the soft leather FORM that you don’t really have with a standard running shoe upper.

In that regard, it comes down to the same decision-making process you go through to justify purchasing a luxury car over a reliable Toyota or Honda: your overall mileage will probably end up the same, but some folks are willing to pay a little more to enjoy those miles in style.

SKORA shoes retail at Amazon.com at the following links ...

Men's Form for $185

Men's Base for $110

  *Products provided by SKORA.  Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Spousal Support

My wife doesn’t bother trying to read everything that I write anymore; between a newspaper column, a few websites, and an occasional magazine piece here and there, it’s more than she can manage to keep up with.

(Plus, to be honest, when it comes to an abundance of similar-looking trail running gear or the multiple nuances in minimalist shoes I talk about ad nauseam, she could kind of care less - and considering everything else on her plate, I can’t say that I blame her.)

However, she knows enough that when she’s picking up kids at school and other parents make comments to her like, “Hey - I read about you in the Herald!”, she should probably track down our local paper and see just what her husband has been writing lately. The disclosure she finds usually isn’t anything especially embarrassing or overly revealing (not from my standpoint, anyway) but more often it simply reminds her - and by extension, much of Monterey County – that she somehow ended up married to a lunatic.

Such was the case a couple of weeks ago, in regards to the Monterey Herald column my friend Mike and I wrote, which follows below.

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Running Life 03/22/12              “Spousal Support”

It’s a well-known axiom that behind every good man is a woman – and along the same lines, we’d add this: behind every dedicated runner is an equally devoted spouse.

In the best of circumstances, your spouse won’t merely tolerate your running life, but will understand and support it as well. Having a spouse who is also a runner tends to make things easier, but we know of spouses who are incredibly sympathetic even though they don’t share the running habit.

The two of us are fortunate that our wives share our healthy lifestyle. Both of them are actually pretty fast (in the running sense, that is), and participate in our sport in addition to supporting our own endeavors.

Donald’s wife juggles work and responsibility for 3 school-aged kids, but runs a few times per week and occasionally enters a race when it fits in her busy schedule. Mike’s wife Julie has run about 30 marathons with a best time of 3:11 and has run a sub-40-minute 10K. She actually won the 1st Moorea International Marathon in Tahiti some years back. However, our wives’ understanding of running doesn’t mean total acceptance, and occasionally they poke fun at our compulsive natures.

We both do most of our running in the early morning, usually in the dark on the trails in the Fort Ord open space or Garland Ranch in Carmel Valley. Donald is a special breed of crazy, and while training for ultramarathons will often slip quietly out of bed at 2AM to head out for a high-mileage run. When he does, he sometimes leaves to the sound of his wife muttering about being married to an idiot before she rolls over and goes back to sleep.

When Mike returns from running in the dark, Julie is usually just headed out to run on the Monterey rec trail. She often teases him, “You know, there’s a beautiful ocean out there - you should see it some time!”

Last week, Mike returned from running at the track, and Julie asked him how the workout went. Mike said, “It was OK, we did speed work.” Julie quickly replied, “I’m surprised you guys still call it speed work” - not so subtly indicating that our group isn’t very fast any more.

The sad part is, she’s right.  Mike’s fast 400-meters intervals are now about the same pace he used to run in the marathon, and Donald doesn’t need much speedwork in order to run 100 mile races. For better or worse, no one knows us better than our spouses, and we take their comments on the chin with equal parts humor and humility.

Our wives also know what’s best for us. When Mike leaves for a race, Julie’s last comment is always, “Don’t forget to kick!” If she happens to be at the race watching the finish, her first comment will be, “Was that a kick?” Donald’s instructions are usually simpler; whenever he leaves for an ultra, his wife simply says “Come back alive.” The bar for success is set quite a bit lower for ultramarathoners.

Above all else, our wives make us realize that although running is important, there are a lot more significant priorities in life. It really doesn’t matter to them if we run slow or fast – but they care about us enough to support our active and healthy lifestyle, and fortunately for us, running is just one more thing they weave into the complicated fabric of our families.



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CamelBak Marathoner Hydration Vest Review

Before today's post, a reminder: if you aren't one of the 250+ people who have already entered the New Balance Minimus Zero Road giveaway, there's still plenty of time to do so. Sure, the odds are against you - but they're better than if you don't enter, right? Winners will be announced this Saturday.

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The first thing I thought when seeing CamelBak's Marathoner was Oh, wow ... CamelBak’s trying to make a vest like Nathan.

I’m referring, of course, to Nathan’s awesome HPL 020 hydration vest, which has become my tried and true favorite for long training days over the years. It doesn’t take a detective to note the resemblance in the design of that classic pack to CamelBak’s new one*, which like the 020 is designed specifically for runners.

CamelBak Marathoner hydration vest

(*It also bears a passing resemblance to Ultimate Direction’s Wasp, but since I’m a heavy-duty 020 user, this review will limit any dual comparison to just the 020.)

After testing the Marathoner for several 20-to-30 mile training runs, I can’t say that I prefer it to the 020 … but I also realize that there’s more to the Marathoner vest than just being derivative of another brand’s cash cow. CamelBak’s version is distinctive in a few key areas that might appeal to the right kind of user – and depending on what you’re looking for in a pack, may even be an improvement over Nathan’s hydration vest.

The primary advantage the Marathoner offers is fluid-carrying capacity; in addition to a 70-oz reservoir in the main compartment, there are two bottle holsters on the front of the vest that can each accommodate a standard 20- to 24-oz bottle. For the math-challenged, that adds up to nearly 120 oz of fluids you can haul in the Marathoner pack, which should be enough for pretty much any epic adventure.

(On that point, here’s a quirky criticism I have of the Marathoner vest: I hate the name. When I was a dedicated marathoner, I never carried more than a single bottle in training. CamelBak’s Marathoner is clearly better suited for ultrarunners than marathon runners, and the company already introduced the Ultra LR pack this spring with the exact same color scheme, so I’m not sure why they didn’t just call this pack the plain-old Ultra. They had a similar naming convention for the Octane and Octane LR a while back, so I’m not sure what happened this time around. Obviously I wasn’t consulted.)

Of course, the usefulness of these water bottle pockets depends on whether or not you actually use them to carry water bottles. I’m already on record in my Ultra LR review saying that having water bottles in the front pockets is too bouncy and cumbersome for my liking. And if you don’t use them for bottles, the pockets can actually be too big in some ways – for example, when I put a camera in the pocket, it tends to bounce around more (because it has more space to do so) than it does in the smaller pockets of my HPL 020.

Another major distinction between the Marathoner and the 020 is that the Marathoner has a much greater cargo capacity on the front vest straps. In addition to the bottle pockets (which can be used for other gear if not for fluids), there are two inner-layered pockets behind the bottle pockets on each side, which make for a nice place to stash used empty GU wrappers or larger items like a smart phone. The front cargo capacity is actually greater on the Marathoner than it is on the 020, which is good, because …

… on the back side of the pack, all you have is this large mesh pocket to stow your gear. I know it looks like there’s an entire upper storage compartment above the mesh, but …

… that compartment is completely occupied by the fluid reservoir, which is a significant design change from previous CamelBak running packs. On the Marathoner, the compartment that houses the reservoir is quite thin, and is cinched closed with a large Velcro strap that goes across the top of the opening. The advantage of this design is that the fluid compartment is extremely secure, with very little bouncing regardless of how full it is. The tradeoff is that you lose the ability to stuff other gear in there, effectively decreasing your overall cargo capacity.

Between the locked-down fluid reservoir and the adjustability of the harnesses, the Marathoner has a very stable ride. If you’re somebody who likes a vest setup but doesn’t like the movement of the 020 or UD Wasp, the Marathoner offers a significant advantage over those other packs. I found it easy to adjust the tension of the side straps and dual sternum straps in mid-run, allowing me to keep the pack snug against my body regardless of how full the reservoir was.

Material construction of the Marathoner also contributes to high-mileage comfort, with an air channel back panel to circulate air between your body and the pack, and vest panels which ride very softly against your torso. One final comfort-related quirk about the Marathoner is its overall weight of 12.7 oz (360g) when empty; this number is not only higher than the 10-oz 020, but also higher than CamelBak’s own Octane XCT which weighs in at 10.7 oz.

However, the weight issue shouldn’t be a deal breaker, because the Marathoner is best suited for either 1) the runner who is looking to haul 40 to 48 oz of fluid in excess of the standard 70-oz reservoir, or 2) the runner who wants to stash a lot of large gear within easy reach on the front pockets. In either of these cases, the 2-oz difference in material construction is almost negligible.

The CamelBak Marathoner vest retails for $100 at REI.com as well as other online vendors.

*Product provided by CamelBak. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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